"You can certainly give the rest to some worthy cause, then."
"I was thinking fallen women, foundlings, prison reform, and the rest to help the unfortunate slaves."
"Admirable, my dear," Clifford said without a trace of hesitation. "I am sure the solicitors shall have no objections to that."
"What of yours?" she asked quietly, astonished that thus far he had not shown the least bit of concern for her wealth. Could she have been so fortunate as to have found a man who cared about her for herself alone after all?
He considered her question for a moment, and she waited in an agony of suspense for his next words. At length he concluded, "I can't see them having any objections either, since I'm agreeing to it willingly. But to be certain, we can sign a pre-nuptial agreement to this effect, so that they can never challenge my decision at a later date.
"I can also set the terms for my own will. I have already divided up everything legally with Henry. It is simply a matter of leaving my portion to you, with or without children. Though I am sure you will not mind if I leave Henry and some other friends and dependents a couple of bequests."
"Not at all. But-"
"Ah, yes. If we should not prove to be compatible, I will of course offer you an allowance, which shall remain in effect until such time as you remarry. You would have shared custody of the children, provided I did not catch you in any compromising situations."
"Clifford!"
He looked at her outraged features coolly, hoping he had not overdone his man-of-the-world pose. "I'm just trying to foresee any eventuality, just as you are. I'm sorry if my blunt talk offends you. I am trying to be fair to us both. I did not say I would be the one ending the relationship. I am merely providing you with an out clause if you should find life with me unbearable. So long as you are honest in your dealings with me, Vanessa, you may expect no less from me."
Vanessa stared at the carpet. She unaccountably felt like weeping. She had tested Clifford's greed, and should have been more than satisfied with his attitude. But the matter-of-fact way in which he had discussed all of their arrangements made her think the spark she had fancied between them was all in her imagination.
"No, you haven't offended me, it's just that..." She shrugged.
His dazzling blue eyes missed nothing. "You would have preferred a bit more romance, a few sighs and lover-like protestations and avowals," he said gently.
She did not deny it.
"Very well, my dear girl, you shall have them."
Before Vanessa could prevent him, Clifford raised her up from her chair.
He had meant to plant a simple light kiss on her cheek, but she raised her face to his, and the next thing he knew, his mouth was on hers, and he was tugging her gently into his arms. He ran his hands down her back from shoulder to hips in a languid caress. He parted her lips with his own, sipping at her like a bee at the nectar within soft moist petals.
She opened her mouth even further with shivering delight. His tongue delicately, sinuously probed, peaking her nipples, and bringing a heady flush to her cheeks. She held her breath at the thrilling sensations, and allowed her hands to creep up to his face, and around his neck. She drew closer and closer into the torrid hard heat of his body. One arm looped around his waist, the other moved upwards to caress his silken hair at last.
At last he could stand it no more, and pulled away shakily, before she discovered the full extent of his ferocious ardor. "I am sorry. That was badly done. Please forgive my less than gentlemanly behavior. My only excuse is being so near to you made me lose my head."
He stepped away from her, putting at least an arm's length of distance between them. "The plain truth is that the last thing I want to talk about when I'm with you is business, Vanessa. You can have any terms you like, so long as you marry me. Soon. One look from those wonderful eyes of yours, and I feel as though I'm going to burst into a conflagration. And all this talk of death and children makes me want to prove to you I'm very much alive, and looking forward to starting a very large family."
She giggled nervously, and turned away from him, coloring to the roots of her hair. He could she her retreating into herself shyly, as was her wont, and tucked one finger under her chin so that she was forced to look up at him.
"I have promised you honesty, and that is what you shall have. I don't know what the future holds for us together, Vanessa. No one ever really can when they marry. But so long as we trust, respect and love each other, there will be no need for any more of these business discussions. The solicitors can keep themselves busy with their other clients' tricky legal matters. I have better things to do with my wife. Including living up to every single one of the vows we will exchange. With my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow."